ACSI Virtual Science Fair Recap

After the cancellation of this event last year due to the pandemic, we hosted the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) fourth annual Science Fair. It was the first virtual science fair we hosted with 49 students from 6^thto 8^th grade participants on May 18^th. President Ferguson offered a warm welcome to start this year’s Science Fair. Unlike previous years, presenters submitted their projects online and judging took place a week prior to the Science Fair. We are grateful for the APU faculty and staff who served as poster judges this year: Marta Cenac-Mehidinti, M.S., Kevin Huang, Ph.D., Don Isaak, Ph.D., Elijah Roth, Ph.D., Willetta Toole-Simms, Ph.D. and Yun-Lan Wong, M.S.

For the STEM classes this year, an innovative approach in combining marine biology and coding was launched. Alumna Annie MacAulay (Founding CEO of Mountain & Sea Adventures) teamed up with J.R. Marshall (ECS Adjunct Professor and IMT Enterprise and Applications Engineer) in this interdisciplinary session that aimed at solving the problem of thermocline---the gradation of ocean temperature change. Mr. Marshall. designed and installed temperature probes that connected to an app that can be used on mobile devices. This app can help measure the varying ocean temperatures that not only helps divers but also better understand marine vegetation such as kelp growth. Ms. MacAulay logged on from Catalina Island and demonstrated with the equipment that Mr. Marshall. built. It was eye-opening for participants to be able to see instant changes in ocean temperature on their mobile devices.

Also new this year was our partnership with BioLogos to offer a special science and faith panel based on their new high school curriculum, INTEGRATE. Kathryn Applegate, Ph.D. (BioLogos Resource Editor) and Ms. Diane Sweeney (BioLogos Advisory Council Member) led an interactive session on the ethical consideration of various genetic technologies. It was a thought-provoking discussion that left us wanting more afterwards.

Similar to previous years, Honors College participated at the Fair. We are grateful for Curtis Isozaki, M.A. (Associate Director, Honors College) in giving a brief presentation on college education, through which, inspiring the young students to ponder on God’s calling upon them and its relation to a college education. Finally, Dean Edwards-Neff offered the closing remarks and prayer.

Please see some photos from the Science Fair here.